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The House of Rohan #3
Breathless
Ruined beyond repair and shunned by London society, lovely Miranda Rohan rebelliously embraces the freedom that comes from having nothing left to lose. However, this dangerous course throws her under the power of the darkly enigmatic Lucien de Malheur—known to many as the Scorpion.
Seeking to destroy the Rohans, Lucien traps Miranda in a marriage she thinks is based on friendship but instead is rooted in vengeance. Yet even when she realizes the truth, their enmity fuels a shocking passion—and perhaps even more.
Such a man might drive anyone to murder....
Seeking to destroy the Rohans, Lucien traps Miranda in a marriage she thinks is based on friendship but instead is rooted in vengeance. Yet even when she realizes the truth, their enmity fuels a shocking passion—and perhaps even more.
Such a man might drive anyone to murder....
379 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
133 people are currently reading
2373 people want to read
About the author
Anne Stuart
203 books2,062 followersAnne Stuart is a grandmaster of the genre, winner of Romance Writers of America's prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, survivor of more than thirty-five years in the romance business, and still just keeps getting better.
Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic suspense, romantic adventure, series romance, suspense, historical romance, paranormal and mainstream contemporary romance for publishers such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Silhouette, Avon, Zebra, St. Martins Press, Berkley, Dell, Pocket Books and Fawcett.
She’s won numerous awards, appeared on most bestseller lists, and speaks all over the country. Her general outrageousness has gotten her on Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Vogue, People, USA Today, Women’s Day and countless other national newspapers and magazines.
When she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Northern Vermont with her luscious husband of thirty-six years, an empty nest, three cats, four sewing machines, and one Springer Spaniel, and when she’s not working she’s watching movies, listening to rock and roll (preferably Japanese) and spending far too much time quilting.
Anne Stuart also writes as Kristina Douglas.
Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic suspense, romantic adventure, series romance, suspense, historical romance, paranormal and mainstream contemporary romance for publishers such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Silhouette, Avon, Zebra, St. Martins Press, Berkley, Dell, Pocket Books and Fawcett.
She’s won numerous awards, appeared on most bestseller lists, and speaks all over the country. Her general outrageousness has gotten her on Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Vogue, People, USA Today, Women’s Day and countless other national newspapers and magazines.
When she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Northern Vermont with her luscious husband of thirty-six years, an empty nest, three cats, four sewing machines, and one Springer Spaniel, and when she’s not working she’s watching movies, listening to rock and roll (preferably Japanese) and spending far too much time quilting.
Anne Stuart also writes as Kristina Douglas.
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September 3, 2011
Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold. But this revenge will catch the predator in his own trap.
When I pick up an Anne Stuart book, I know going in that this it is not going to be a 'sweet' love story. That doesn't mean it won't be a good love story. But certainly not the hearts and flowers one might assume for romance.
I had heard that The Scorpion was something else, too much for some readers. I pondered if that would be the case for me. Let's face it. I love bad boy heroes. Too much, probably. Especially for my straight-laced self. Good thing that my book boyfriend tastes don't reflect my real life taste in the slightest. Because I'm not anywhere near as strong and fearless as a bad boy romance heroine like Miranda Rohan.
Usually when I read an Anne Stuart book, it's all about the hero. In this case, I found that Miranda more than holds her own, and she even steals the show. And that was no easy task, since The Scorpion has a jaw-dropping appeal for me, even in all his dastardliness. I say, good on you to Ms. Stuart for that. It's no secret that I love Anne Stuart's writing. And that isn't a casual thing for me to stay. Writers come and go, but she’s been my favorite for a long, long time, and for good reason. In this book, I have found that she has taken what I expect about her books, written something true and characteristic to her, and still managed to push the envelope, even surprising me. I respect that. I think authors should be true to themselves, their muse, and they should grow in their work. Ms. Stuart is up for that challenge. When you ask for a dangerous, ruthless, villainous hero, don't be shocked when you get one. Lucien de Malheur is a dangerous hero that you might even try to “give back” the day after Christmas.
I love revenge stories. Why? Because revenge is a passion that roots itself in a person's heart. It changes all their motives, turns a steadfast heart into a driven machine, working only to keep pumping rage and anguish through the system until the debt is repaid. Add revenge to a love story, and it's one potent cocktail for tension and drama. As I read, I wondered, can love change a black heart bent on destruction? In this case, I felt that the Scorpion blamed unfairly, and his method of avenging what he had lost had focused on an unfair target. But then, this guy is twisted, I mean from the ground up. And he knows it. He’s not going to reason things out the same way as a normal guy would. Not with a past that is as dark and tortured as his. That didn’t exactly get him out of jail with me, mind you. I didn't like what he had done to Miranda. I thought that it was over the line. Despite that, I liked that no excuses are made for his behavior. Despite what he suffered not all being his fault, he made some bad choices that furthered the blackening of his soul. Let’s face it, Lucien is not a "good" man. I doubt he'll ever truly be a moral man. Maybe with Miranda’s help. We’ll see. Does that mean that he is incapable of love? He thought himself inable to love. Imagine to his surprise that he falls in love with the unknowing instrument of his revenge.
I searched my heart and wondered what rhyme or reason would allow Miranda to be treated such a way and then fall in love with the man who'd engineered her mistreatment and ruination. How can that be fair by any stretch of the strange, twisted spiritual journey we call life? It came to me that she never had, never would have deserved that. But Lucien deserved to fall in love with Miranda. That is the 'sting in the scorpion's tail.' His actions coming back to bite him literally. It seems almost like divine justice to me. One then asks, but what about Miranda?
Miranda had a hard task set forth for her. She had one heck of a shrew to tame, and she surely did. She took this black-hearted fiend and turned him into a man in love. She drew lines in the sand, and dared him to cross them. And there was a scene that I knew was going to make or break this book for me. Like Miranda, I knew that if Lucien went along with his horribly nefarious plans, it was over for me. I mean, I can take a lot from a hero, but I have a few things I will not take, and this was one of them. My eyes were literally glued to the page. I thought, he won’t, will he? She won’t, will she? That was one of the moments when I knew that Miranda would be my favorite Anne Stuart heroine. Little Danielle would have tucked her tail between her legs and ran off to Scotland, anywhere to get away from the Scorpion. Not Miranda. She faced him head on, called his bluff, and laid her cards on the table. And she won that hand, won the World Poker Tournament. Lucien can think what he wants, but Miranda is the one who’s running things. He might be the Scorpion, but Miranda’s the Black Widow, and she’s got him wrapped up tight in her web. And that is divine justice.
Ms. Stuart has written yet another brilliant romance for this reader. She had me riveted and fascinated, savoring this dark, witty, sexy historical story that does have some elements that bring to mind a historical sex comedy, but with humor that is not crass or inane, but deeply, bitingly sardonic. This is the Battle Between the Sexes played out on the page, and no prisoners are taken. And she gave me a heroine that was up for the challenge. I loved her for that. I liked the secondary romance a lot, but I would have been just as happy to just see Miranda and Lucien play out their deadly game in living color.
Closing Thoughts:
This book won’t appeal to all readers, even long-time Stuart fans. The Scorpion does some very heinous, beyond the pale deeds to get his revenge. But for those who long for justice, I can say that I felt he gets his just deserts. They merely come in a most unusual form than one might expect, in the arms of Miranda Rohan. He’s not going to come out of this relationship unchanged. And he lost something very vital in his ruthless bid for revenge, his heart. This reader loved this story, even for the parts that were rather uncomfortable. I did stay on the edge, guessing if true love would win, and I was greatly rewarded in the process.
When I pick up an Anne Stuart book, I know going in that this it is not going to be a 'sweet' love story. That doesn't mean it won't be a good love story. But certainly not the hearts and flowers one might assume for romance.
I had heard that The Scorpion was something else, too much for some readers. I pondered if that would be the case for me. Let's face it. I love bad boy heroes. Too much, probably. Especially for my straight-laced self. Good thing that my book boyfriend tastes don't reflect my real life taste in the slightest. Because I'm not anywhere near as strong and fearless as a bad boy romance heroine like Miranda Rohan.
Usually when I read an Anne Stuart book, it's all about the hero. In this case, I found that Miranda more than holds her own, and she even steals the show. And that was no easy task, since The Scorpion has a jaw-dropping appeal for me, even in all his dastardliness. I say, good on you to Ms. Stuart for that. It's no secret that I love Anne Stuart's writing. And that isn't a casual thing for me to stay. Writers come and go, but she’s been my favorite for a long, long time, and for good reason. In this book, I have found that she has taken what I expect about her books, written something true and characteristic to her, and still managed to push the envelope, even surprising me. I respect that. I think authors should be true to themselves, their muse, and they should grow in their work. Ms. Stuart is up for that challenge. When you ask for a dangerous, ruthless, villainous hero, don't be shocked when you get one. Lucien de Malheur is a dangerous hero that you might even try to “give back” the day after Christmas.
I love revenge stories. Why? Because revenge is a passion that roots itself in a person's heart. It changes all their motives, turns a steadfast heart into a driven machine, working only to keep pumping rage and anguish through the system until the debt is repaid. Add revenge to a love story, and it's one potent cocktail for tension and drama. As I read, I wondered, can love change a black heart bent on destruction? In this case, I felt that the Scorpion blamed unfairly, and his method of avenging what he had lost had focused on an unfair target. But then, this guy is twisted, I mean from the ground up. And he knows it. He’s not going to reason things out the same way as a normal guy would. Not with a past that is as dark and tortured as his. That didn’t exactly get him out of jail with me, mind you. I didn't like what he had done to Miranda. I thought that it was over the line. Despite that, I liked that no excuses are made for his behavior. Despite what he suffered not all being his fault, he made some bad choices that furthered the blackening of his soul. Let’s face it, Lucien is not a "good" man. I doubt he'll ever truly be a moral man. Maybe with Miranda’s help. We’ll see. Does that mean that he is incapable of love? He thought himself inable to love. Imagine to his surprise that he falls in love with the unknowing instrument of his revenge.
I searched my heart and wondered what rhyme or reason would allow Miranda to be treated such a way and then fall in love with the man who'd engineered her mistreatment and ruination. How can that be fair by any stretch of the strange, twisted spiritual journey we call life? It came to me that she never had, never would have deserved that. But Lucien deserved to fall in love with Miranda. That is the 'sting in the scorpion's tail.' His actions coming back to bite him literally. It seems almost like divine justice to me. One then asks, but what about Miranda?
Miranda had a hard task set forth for her. She had one heck of a shrew to tame, and she surely did. She took this black-hearted fiend and turned him into a man in love. She drew lines in the sand, and dared him to cross them. And there was a scene that I knew was going to make or break this book for me. Like Miranda, I knew that if Lucien went along with his horribly nefarious plans, it was over for me. I mean, I can take a lot from a hero, but I have a few things I will not take, and this was one of them. My eyes were literally glued to the page. I thought, he won’t, will he? She won’t, will she? That was one of the moments when I knew that Miranda would be my favorite Anne Stuart heroine. Little Danielle would have tucked her tail between her legs and ran off to Scotland, anywhere to get away from the Scorpion. Not Miranda. She faced him head on, called his bluff, and laid her cards on the table. And she won that hand, won the World Poker Tournament. Lucien can think what he wants, but Miranda is the one who’s running things. He might be the Scorpion, but Miranda’s the Black Widow, and she’s got him wrapped up tight in her web. And that is divine justice.
Ms. Stuart has written yet another brilliant romance for this reader. She had me riveted and fascinated, savoring this dark, witty, sexy historical story that does have some elements that bring to mind a historical sex comedy, but with humor that is not crass or inane, but deeply, bitingly sardonic. This is the Battle Between the Sexes played out on the page, and no prisoners are taken. And she gave me a heroine that was up for the challenge. I loved her for that. I liked the secondary romance a lot, but I would have been just as happy to just see Miranda and Lucien play out their deadly game in living color.
Closing Thoughts:
This book won’t appeal to all readers, even long-time Stuart fans. The Scorpion does some very heinous, beyond the pale deeds to get his revenge. But for those who long for justice, I can say that I felt he gets his just deserts. They merely come in a most unusual form than one might expect, in the arms of Miranda Rohan. He’s not going to come out of this relationship unchanged. And he lost something very vital in his ruthless bid for revenge, his heart. This reader loved this story, even for the parts that were rather uncomfortable. I did stay on the edge, guessing if true love would win, and I was greatly rewarded in the process.
November 12, 2010
I've finished this book and all I can say is holy crap.
I don't even know how to rate this book. It was just...I don't even know. Have you ever watched one of those dramatic, crazy reality shows? You know they're seriously messed up individuals, but there's something compelling and enjoyable about watching their brand of crazy. That was how I felt about Lucien and Miranda by the time I ended the book.
Let me set the mood by giving you a very apt theme song to listen to while you read my review. Theme Song
You see that relationship in the video? That's them. Crazy, right? But it was incredibly entertaining and compelling at the same time. Things that would usually ruin a book for me weren't so bad here.
All of Lucien's plots--there were many and they never turned out well for the heroine--were bad on their own, but with Miranda's attitude they never seemed as bad as they would have with a weaker heroine. Any situation he stuck her in for the sake of his vengeance got turned around on him. I'm not saying he ended up suffering, but she sure did manage to take any real victory away from him. She figured out what made him feel like he was winning and she took it from him. If he wanted her desolate she'd be the happiest damn person you've ever met.
Lucien was a likable guy (for all that he was an ass) but he sure did some seriously screwed up things to Miranda. Here's where the crazy relationship like they had in the theme song video comes into play. Miranda and Lucien played this game of wills. She'd go along with his plots and make him suffer by complying. They stared each other in the eye and dared each other to back down first. Their relationship was one big crazy game of Chicken.
***SPOILERS***
Eight pages before the end of the book she finds out about another plot and tried to kill him. Literally. Then she tried to die with him. Maybe some readers laughed that off, but that did not come off as a joke. She was dead serious.
But he managed to save them both and let her wear herself out trying to beat the crap out of him. Then she took him inside and bandaged his head wound (from her) and poked at it to punish him a bit more. But then they were smiling and admitting their love for each other. The end.
Crazy, huh? They are so perfect for each other, but their relationship is kind of scary.
***END SPOILERS***
I think they're going to have a future of huge blowups and crazy fights with one of them joking the other out of it and then having crazy sex.
But the book was so good at the same time. There were so many awesome quotes. A particular favorite of mine was from page 218
The author swung between tones in the book. Dark and grim one moment and then sarcastic and humorous the next. And sprinkled through it all were some surprisingly tender moments.
My one big complaint is that the end cuts off suddenly just like in the first book, Ruthless. I much preferred the more leisurely ending like in Reckless.
*I decided I had to give this at least 3.5 Stars*
I don't even know how to rate this book. It was just...I don't even know. Have you ever watched one of those dramatic, crazy reality shows? You know they're seriously messed up individuals, but there's something compelling and enjoyable about watching their brand of crazy. That was how I felt about Lucien and Miranda by the time I ended the book.
Let me set the mood by giving you a very apt theme song to listen to while you read my review. Theme Song
You see that relationship in the video? That's them. Crazy, right? But it was incredibly entertaining and compelling at the same time. Things that would usually ruin a book for me weren't so bad here.
All of Lucien's plots--there were many and they never turned out well for the heroine--were bad on their own, but with Miranda's attitude they never seemed as bad as they would have with a weaker heroine. Any situation he stuck her in for the sake of his vengeance got turned around on him. I'm not saying he ended up suffering, but she sure did manage to take any real victory away from him. She figured out what made him feel like he was winning and she took it from him. If he wanted her desolate she'd be the happiest damn person you've ever met.
Lucien was a likable guy (for all that he was an ass) but he sure did some seriously screwed up things to Miranda. Here's where the crazy relationship like they had in the theme song video comes into play. Miranda and Lucien played this game of wills. She'd go along with his plots and make him suffer by complying. They stared each other in the eye and dared each other to back down first. Their relationship was one big crazy game of Chicken.
***SPOILERS***
Eight pages before the end of the book she finds out about another plot and tried to kill him. Literally. Then she tried to die with him. Maybe some readers laughed that off, but that did not come off as a joke. She was dead serious.
But he managed to save them both and let her wear herself out trying to beat the crap out of him. Then she took him inside and bandaged his head wound (from her) and poked at it to punish him a bit more. But then they were smiling and admitting their love for each other. The end.
Crazy, huh? They are so perfect for each other, but their relationship is kind of scary.
***END SPOILERS***
I think they're going to have a future of huge blowups and crazy fights with one of them joking the other out of it and then having crazy sex.
But the book was so good at the same time. There were so many awesome quotes. A particular favorite of mine was from page 218
"Well, you see!" she said, faintly exasperated. "You sounded as if you didn't believe me when I said I forgot about your scars. But you wander around like Lord Byron, all broody and interesting and romantical and it's no wonder women fall at your feet like...like things that fall at your feet. And Byron's almost as lame as you are."
He stared at her in real horror. "Romantical?" he echoed in total disgust. "Broody? Like that ass Byron? My dear Miranda, you have a tongue like a barbed whip." He used the phrase deliberately, like prodding a sore tooth to see if it still hurt.
It did.
This time her smile was genuine, a pleased grin that she'd managed to wound his amour propre. "Well, if you don't want to be a mysterious, romantic hero you need to gain at least two or three stone, talk about finance and belch. Your clothes are too dramatic, as well. I think colors would suit you rather than the funereal black you mope around in. Perhaps a nice puce, or a pale chartreuse. And you could cut your hair. It's too long for fashion nowadays. Something a la Brutus would make you very much more ordinary."
"My hair covers my scarring."
"But we've agreed that no one notices your scarring once they're around you. You woo them like a big, fat hairy black spider, and no matter how much they struggle they're helpless."
"For some reason I can't quite imagine a spider wooing.
The author swung between tones in the book. Dark and grim one moment and then sarcastic and humorous the next. And sprinkled through it all were some surprisingly tender moments.
My one big complaint is that the end cuts off suddenly just like in the first book, Ruthless. I much preferred the more leisurely ending like in Reckless.
*I decided I had to give this at least 3.5 Stars*
January 29, 2011
I'm writing this review because this book made me feel traumatized and violated. I think it's a testament to her skill as an author that she makes me feel so intensely, but I also wish someone would silently point out the books that would traumatize me.
I had a real problem with the hero of this book. Basically, it is this: in the very first pages of the book, he pays someone to abduct and rape the heroine and force her into marriage.
But even though the heroine says "It hadn't been rape," I don't agree. In fact, that peeved me hugely. To say that it wasn't rape just because she laid there and didnt fight it becuase she realized he was strong enough to make it happen anyway, is just bull. She decides not to fight because she doesn't think she has a choice and he's bigger than she is. That my friends is rape.
I kept reading, because it's Anne Stuart. And I know Anne Stuart does bad heroes--not like fake bad, but really bad. When it's good, it's great. But when it's bad, it's awful. And this was...awful.
The whole way through the book Im waiting for the hero to do something really spectacular for me to believe that he deserves the HEA. But he doesn't.
I loved her heroine--she was fantastic, which is why I've given the book three stars. But at the end of the book, I wanted her to shoot her husband dead and walk away laughing.
I had a real problem with the hero of this book. Basically, it is this: in the very first pages of the book, he pays someone to abduct and rape the heroine and force her into marriage.
But even though the heroine says "It hadn't been rape," I don't agree. In fact, that peeved me hugely. To say that it wasn't rape just because she laid there and didnt fight it becuase she realized he was strong enough to make it happen anyway, is just bull. She decides not to fight because she doesn't think she has a choice and he's bigger than she is. That my friends is rape.
I kept reading, because it's Anne Stuart. And I know Anne Stuart does bad heroes--not like fake bad, but really bad. When it's good, it's great. But when it's bad, it's awful. And this was...awful.
The whole way through the book Im waiting for the hero to do something really spectacular for me to believe that he deserves the HEA. But he doesn't.
I loved her heroine--she was fantastic, which is why I've given the book three stars. But at the end of the book, I wanted her to shoot her husband dead and walk away laughing.
April 14, 2014
I tried to like this book. I really did. I knew going into it that it was going to be dark and I was okay with that, I like my romances brooding, emotionally deep, and the darker the better. I was prepared and having read the next book in the series I already loved Lucien and Miranda.
*spoilers ahead*
So Lucien hires someone to abduct and marry Miranda as vengeance for his sister's suicide and the part he thinks Miranda's brother had in it. The guy abducts and rapes Miranda and she escapes before it goes as far as marriage. She lives the next few years on the outskirts of society as a fallen woman but she's mostly happy if not a bit lonely.
Lucien decides if you want things done right you must do it yourself and he reignites his mission of revenge. He befriends her and it is written so well that despite the completely reprehensible basis of it all I was completely buying it.
This is the part where he's supposed to realize how brave and wonderful she is for not letting her circumstances get her down. He's supposed to be eaten alive by the guilt of the part he played. He's supposed to realize he's not pretending anymore and he truly cares for her but he's afraid he'll lose her.
None of that happened.
Nearly half way into the book, after he kidnaps her and tells her their friendship was all a lie he, more than once, thinks about raping her, of her unwillingness being an important aspect of his revenge. No thank you. And the heroine deals with this by pretending to be happy and calling him pet names to annoy him. After all, she's been abducted and raped before, she'll just deal. This book made me so sad. It had so so so much potential but I just couldn't stomach it.
*spoilers ahead*
So Lucien hires someone to abduct and marry Miranda as vengeance for his sister's suicide and the part he thinks Miranda's brother had in it. The guy abducts and rapes Miranda and she escapes before it goes as far as marriage. She lives the next few years on the outskirts of society as a fallen woman but she's mostly happy if not a bit lonely.
Lucien decides if you want things done right you must do it yourself and he reignites his mission of revenge. He befriends her and it is written so well that despite the completely reprehensible basis of it all I was completely buying it.
This is the part where he's supposed to realize how brave and wonderful she is for not letting her circumstances get her down. He's supposed to be eaten alive by the guilt of the part he played. He's supposed to realize he's not pretending anymore and he truly cares for her but he's afraid he'll lose her.
None of that happened.
Nearly half way into the book, after he kidnaps her and tells her their friendship was all a lie he, more than once, thinks about raping her, of her unwillingness being an important aspect of his revenge. No thank you. And the heroine deals with this by pretending to be happy and calling him pet names to annoy him. After all, she's been abducted and raped before, she'll just deal. This book made me so sad. It had so so so much potential but I just couldn't stomach it.
October 20, 2010
4 stars – Historical Romance
This was my least favorite of the lushly sensual House of Rohan series, mainly because the ruination revenge plot was exhausting and the hero, scarred, depraved Lucien de Malhuer, aka the Scorpion, wasn’t quite reformed or redeemed enough to make up for some truly heinous, unforgivable acts perpetrated against the heroine. I love Stuart’s dark, tortured, gamma heroes, but emotionally empty, borderline evil Scorpion Lucien was a bit too much at times. His feelings towards Miranda Rohan seemed more like a sick, twisted sense of control and power or a kind of morbid, rapt fascination akin to an entomologist with an exotic butterfly pinned and trapped under glass, rather than anything remotely genuine or caring enough to ever be considered love. Lucien’s actions and slightly softened disposition towards the very end made me start to think it was possible that he might actually feel some real affection for Miranda, but the ending was far too abrupt for it to solidify. This really could have used another chapter and/or an epilogue to provide a more believable, satisfying HEA. Still, Breathless is a sexy, enticing read with intriguing characters, great writing, and an engaging secondary romance that I enjoyed almost as much, if not more than, the main couple. So I’m rating it 4 stars.
This was my least favorite of the lushly sensual House of Rohan series, mainly because the ruination revenge plot was exhausting and the hero, scarred, depraved Lucien de Malhuer, aka the Scorpion, wasn’t quite reformed or redeemed enough to make up for some truly heinous, unforgivable acts perpetrated against the heroine. I love Stuart’s dark, tortured, gamma heroes, but emotionally empty, borderline evil Scorpion Lucien was a bit too much at times. His feelings towards Miranda Rohan seemed more like a sick, twisted sense of control and power or a kind of morbid, rapt fascination akin to an entomologist with an exotic butterfly pinned and trapped under glass, rather than anything remotely genuine or caring enough to ever be considered love. Lucien’s actions and slightly softened disposition towards the very end made me start to think it was possible that he might actually feel some real affection for Miranda, but the ending was far too abrupt for it to solidify. This really could have used another chapter and/or an epilogue to provide a more believable, satisfying HEA. Still, Breathless is a sexy, enticing read with intriguing characters, great writing, and an engaging secondary romance that I enjoyed almost as much, if not more than, the main couple. So I’m rating it 4 stars.
November 22, 2010
4.5 stars
How is it that the best story in the trilogy is also the most disappointing book of the three? This book had SO much potential. It had everything in it that makes a historical romance for me -- on the shelf heroine, dissolute, dark, hardened, cynical hero, twisted revenge plot...how exciting, I thought!
Lucien de Malheur is one of Stuart's best 'dark' heroes. In the Scorpion she has created someone so dark and so bent on revenge that he is almost irredeemable. I usually call her characters "sly-with-a-wink" bad. Not so Lucien. He is just bad. Stuart is a master at characterization - you can see how bad he is and love him anyway.
Miranda is a pleasure to read about -- having been "ruined" by circumstances beyond her control (and unknown to her, orchestrated by Lucien) she has picked herself up, brushed herself off, and made a life for herself outside of the strictures of the ton. She owns her own home, does her own thing and answers to no one but herself. I'm not sure how anachronistic she is for her time, but I liked her alot.
When she meets Lucien (again, orchestrated by Lucien as part of his revenge plot against her family) she recognizes a kindred spirit. He, too, lives on the fringes of polite society, shunned by society matrons and gossiped about in the corners of ballrooms. His overture of friendship is welcomed, and Miranda is quite taken with him. Lucien is more taken with Miranda than he cares to admit, and the game he is playing takes a turn he hadn't anticipated.
Lucien reveals his plot to Miranda and the manner in which she deals with it is quite the opposite to the way Lucien thought she would behave. The way she and Lucien dance around each other, each trying to manipulate the other, is a pleasure to read. She does the opposite to what she thinks he is expecting her to do, while he is always trying to one-up - and veers to the opposite of what she thinks he wants. It's a twisted mind-f*%k they are doing to each other, and it is wonderfully written.
And it all just went blah. It all seems to come together too quickly at the end -- the resolution is kind of a mishmash and I was left completely unsatisfied by the whole thing.
It was the shortest book of the three, in terms of page count, but should have been the longest. This story cries out for Lucien's history -- why is he so scarred? what happened to him - and to his half-sister? how did he become so bent on revenge? These questions don't get answered until the last 1/4 of the book - and the answers are so glossed over that they aren't really answers at all. I would have liked to know more about Lucien, and the pages that are spent on the secondary romance, while charming, I would have preferred been spent on Lucien and Miranda.
Still, when all is said and done I loved the characters, and the story, and I'm sorry to see the trilogy end.
How is it that the best story in the trilogy is also the most disappointing book of the three? This book had SO much potential. It had everything in it that makes a historical romance for me -- on the shelf heroine, dissolute, dark, hardened, cynical hero, twisted revenge plot...how exciting, I thought!
Lucien de Malheur is one of Stuart's best 'dark' heroes. In the Scorpion she has created someone so dark and so bent on revenge that he is almost irredeemable. I usually call her characters "sly-with-a-wink" bad. Not so Lucien. He is just bad. Stuart is a master at characterization - you can see how bad he is and love him anyway.
Miranda is a pleasure to read about -- having been "ruined" by circumstances beyond her control (and unknown to her, orchestrated by Lucien) she has picked herself up, brushed herself off, and made a life for herself outside of the strictures of the ton. She owns her own home, does her own thing and answers to no one but herself. I'm not sure how anachronistic she is for her time, but I liked her alot.
When she meets Lucien (again, orchestrated by Lucien as part of his revenge plot against her family) she recognizes a kindred spirit. He, too, lives on the fringes of polite society, shunned by society matrons and gossiped about in the corners of ballrooms. His overture of friendship is welcomed, and Miranda is quite taken with him. Lucien is more taken with Miranda than he cares to admit, and the game he is playing takes a turn he hadn't anticipated.
Lucien reveals his plot to Miranda and the manner in which she deals with it is quite the opposite to the way Lucien thought she would behave. The way she and Lucien dance around each other, each trying to manipulate the other, is a pleasure to read. She does the opposite to what she thinks he is expecting her to do, while he is always trying to one-up - and veers to the opposite of what she thinks he wants. It's a twisted mind-f*%k they are doing to each other, and it is wonderfully written.
And it all just went blah. It all seems to come together too quickly at the end -- the resolution is kind of a mishmash and I was left completely unsatisfied by the whole thing.
It was the shortest book of the three, in terms of page count, but should have been the longest. This story cries out for Lucien's history -- why is he so scarred? what happened to him - and to his half-sister? how did he become so bent on revenge? These questions don't get answered until the last 1/4 of the book - and the answers are so glossed over that they aren't really answers at all. I would have liked to know more about Lucien, and the pages that are spent on the secondary romance, while charming, I would have preferred been spent on Lucien and Miranda.
Still, when all is said and done I loved the characters, and the story, and I'm sorry to see the trilogy end.
May 15, 2021
4.5 stars
This hero isn't for everyone. He's provoking at times because he's morally ambiguous. It's no coincidence then that Lucien's name bears a strong resemblance to the darkest of dark angels, Lucifer. Fortunately, Lucien is saved from the darker aspects of himself by the power of love which is what makes this narrative so compelling.
I felt the author successfully conveyed the motives behind Lucien's vile schemes. (Yes, there's more than one!) As a result, I actually sympathized with him to an extent, and just as important, I believed he really loved Miranda by the novel's end.
Falling for Miranda is a mixed blessing for Lucien. He's driven back out of the pit of hate he'd been festering in and, at the same time, is eventually forced to drop his plans for the revenge he'd wanted so badly. A revenge which he's been obsessed with for the majority of the story. So deep is Lucien's hate that even those not responsible for the harm done to his sister would pay. (Who says hate, or any negative emotion, is rooted in logic?)
Does this characteristic make Lucien evil? I think the answer lies somewhere in the middle of the black-and-white spectrum. In his eyes, Lucien is just taking the law into his own hands. Luckily for Lucien then, Miranda is his salvation—whom, by the way, I simply loved for her spirit and ability to turn the lemons life, er, Lucien handed her into lemonade, thereby negating the intended stings.
After initially finishing the book, I wanted Lucien to grovel more and for Miranda to make him suffer more than she did.* But after thinking about it I realized groveling wasn't in Lucien's nature. Any remorse Lucien felt was subtle: it may not be enough for some, but his gesture worked for me.^
Breathless is my favorite of the Rohan series and also the riskiest!
This hero isn't for everyone. He's provoking at times because he's morally ambiguous. It's no coincidence then that Lucien's name bears a strong resemblance to the darkest of dark angels, Lucifer. Fortunately, Lucien is saved from the darker aspects of himself by the power of love which is what makes this narrative so compelling.
I felt the author successfully conveyed the motives behind Lucien's vile schemes. (Yes, there's more than one!) As a result, I actually sympathized with him to an extent, and just as important, I believed he really loved Miranda by the novel's end.
Falling for Miranda is a mixed blessing for Lucien. He's driven back out of the pit of hate he'd been festering in and, at the same time, is eventually forced to drop his plans for the revenge he'd wanted so badly. A revenge which he's been obsessed with for the majority of the story. So deep is Lucien's hate that even those not responsible for the harm done to his sister would pay. (Who says hate, or any negative emotion, is rooted in logic?)
Does this characteristic make Lucien evil? I think the answer lies somewhere in the middle of the black-and-white spectrum. In his eyes, Lucien is just taking the law into his own hands. Luckily for Lucien then, Miranda is his salvation—whom, by the way, I simply loved for her spirit and ability to turn the lemons life, er, Lucien handed her into lemonade, thereby negating the intended stings.
After initially finishing the book, I wanted Lucien to grovel more and for Miranda to make him suffer more than she did.* But after thinking about it I realized groveling wasn't in Lucien's nature. Any remorse Lucien felt was subtle: it may not be enough for some, but his gesture worked for me.^
Breathless is my favorite of the Rohan series and also the riskiest!
March 18, 2022
All I kept saying, aloud, while reading this book was, “damn.” And then, “DAAAAMN!” Lucien is one of the most sublime villains ever. Miranda rocked. Together they burned. And played a great game of dark, psychological cat and mouse. I loved it. And then the story took a turn right onto a dark, disturbing street called Mind Fuckery Road. And I was saying more than damn.
I’m a huge fan of Anne Stuart’s dark historicals but this is the book that made me realize just how brilliant a storyteller she is. I finished the book just before I fell asleep last night. I dreamed about it, and woke up thinking about it. Damn.
“Your insanity knows no bounds.”
“Only when it comes to you.”
I’m a huge fan of Anne Stuart’s dark historicals but this is the book that made me realize just how brilliant a storyteller she is. I finished the book just before I fell asleep last night. I dreamed about it, and woke up thinking about it. Damn.
“Your insanity knows no bounds.”
“Only when it comes to you.”
August 29, 2015
I love that feeling you get when you finish a good book – especially a satisfying romance. You might give a contented little sigh. A peaceful smile or a cheek-splitting grin. You might sit quietly and reflect on the wonderful journey you undertook courtesy of a talented author, the characters you cheered for and the moments you can secret away for a time when your spirits need uplifting. The feeling that all is well, at least within the pages between the cover.
Well, I didn’t get any of that when I finished Breathless. What I was left with was a bad taste in my mouth, and a vaguely dirty feeling. Not from any kink or explicit sex, mind you - Breathless was fairly tame in that regard. Just that feeling of having witnessed something completely wrong..
Breathless did have potential, but for me it was light years from being realised. Lucien is hell bent on revenge. He believes a member of the Rohan family caused his only sister to take her own life (never mind the fact that she was mentally unstable to begin with, as was their mother), and he is determined that the whole Rohan family must pay the price.
Lucien devises a plan for his associate to seduce and then marry Miranda Rohan, leading to her oldest brother challenging him to a duel and being killed. The plan fails on all counts, although the outcome of Miranda being ruined and shunned by society was not unwelcome, albeit unplanned.
Lucian decides to take matters into his own hands. He arranges circumstances, in which Miranda’s death is a distinct possibility, purely for the purpose of orchestrating their meeting. He then charms and befriends her before revealing his betrayal of her trust and removing her from her family’s reach with the intention of marrying her then abandoning her to a life of isolation and misery. Thus causing the entire Rohan family to suffer through Miranda’s fate.
Yup. Sounds reasonable to me.
There is no doubt that Anne Stuart is a talented author, but she has once again created a hero with no redeeming qualities, and written a romance that is anything but romantic. In the hands of a different author, Lucien would have shown some degree of worth, a sign of redemption, emotional growth and the possibility that he deserved his own HEA.
As it is, all we can know for sure is that mental illness does indeed run in his family, and it is not limited to the female members.
Miranda tried to make the best of a bad situation (understatement, anyone?), but I was unable to fully appreciate her qualities when I was supposed to believe that she cared for a man who treated her so heinously and was potentially psychotic. They were continually playing mind-games that ultimately became repetitive and uncomfortable to witness.
The ending was once again abrupt, with many threads left hanging. There was no real resolution of any of the issues facing this couple, and no sense that they were capable of sustaining anything but a dysfunctional, unhealthy, damaging relationship. Read the last page if you don’t believe me.
There were a couple of things to like about Breathless. It was certainly well-written, as you would expect from this author – I just didn’t happen to like the story itself. I also enjoyed the secondary romance, much preferring Jane and Jacob over Miranda and Lucien. There were also some funny moments and a couple of really great lines.
Oh, and the cover is pretty.
I am so very thankful that Breathless wasn’t the first entry in this series, because then I would not have read the wonderful Ruthless and Reckless, both of which have five red stars next to them from me.
As it is, Breathless receives an extremely generous three.
Thankfully, each book can be read as a standalone, so there is no need to read this one if you want to quit while you’re ahead.
Well, I didn’t get any of that when I finished Breathless. What I was left with was a bad taste in my mouth, and a vaguely dirty feeling. Not from any kink or explicit sex, mind you - Breathless was fairly tame in that regard. Just that feeling of having witnessed something completely wrong..
Breathless did have potential, but for me it was light years from being realised. Lucien is hell bent on revenge. He believes a member of the Rohan family caused his only sister to take her own life (never mind the fact that she was mentally unstable to begin with, as was their mother), and he is determined that the whole Rohan family must pay the price.
Lucien devises a plan for his associate to seduce and then marry Miranda Rohan, leading to her oldest brother challenging him to a duel and being killed. The plan fails on all counts, although the outcome of Miranda being ruined and shunned by society was not unwelcome, albeit unplanned.
Lucian decides to take matters into his own hands. He arranges circumstances, in which Miranda’s death is a distinct possibility, purely for the purpose of orchestrating their meeting. He then charms and befriends her before revealing his betrayal of her trust and removing her from her family’s reach with the intention of marrying her then abandoning her to a life of isolation and misery. Thus causing the entire Rohan family to suffer through Miranda’s fate.
Yup. Sounds reasonable to me.
There is no doubt that Anne Stuart is a talented author, but she has once again created a hero with no redeeming qualities, and written a romance that is anything but romantic. In the hands of a different author, Lucien would have shown some degree of worth, a sign of redemption, emotional growth and the possibility that he deserved his own HEA.
As it is, all we can know for sure is that mental illness does indeed run in his family, and it is not limited to the female members.
Miranda tried to make the best of a bad situation (understatement, anyone?), but I was unable to fully appreciate her qualities when I was supposed to believe that she cared for a man who treated her so heinously and was potentially psychotic. They were continually playing mind-games that ultimately became repetitive and uncomfortable to witness.
The ending was once again abrupt, with many threads left hanging. There was no real resolution of any of the issues facing this couple, and no sense that they were capable of sustaining anything but a dysfunctional, unhealthy, damaging relationship. Read the last page if you don’t believe me.
There were a couple of things to like about Breathless. It was certainly well-written, as you would expect from this author – I just didn’t happen to like the story itself. I also enjoyed the secondary romance, much preferring Jane and Jacob over Miranda and Lucien. There were also some funny moments and a couple of really great lines.
Oh, and the cover is pretty.
I am so very thankful that Breathless wasn’t the first entry in this series, because then I would not have read the wonderful Ruthless and Reckless, both of which have five red stars next to them from me.
As it is, Breathless receives an extremely generous three.
Thankfully, each book can be read as a standalone, so there is no need to read this one if you want to quit while you’re ahead.
April 20, 2022
No one does villainous heroes like Anne Stuart. This hero certainly threads that thin line really well. A good guy that does bad things. An unexpected read that keeps you at the edge of your seat.
July 3, 2011
Hey, Stuart finally did something interesting with the Heavenly Host! I’ve liked all the books in this series, but the whole evil club theme was tiresome. They only have a small role here, thank goodness, but it’s a significant one.
This was a rare -- probably the only -- Stuart book that had me more interested in the heroine than the hero. I was expecting Miranda (daughter of the spoiled hero from Reckless and granddaughter of the decadent hero from Ruthless) to be a willful rich girl type, but although certainly headstrong, she is also very sensible. She really held her own against Lucien -- “the Scorpion.” Oooooo! -- using a form of psychological warfare that was comic in a way reminding me of old Catherine Coulter books. Come to think of it, the relationship between them reminds me of my favorite Coulter book, The Wyndham Legacy.
Lucien is, of course, another Stuart bad boy. And he really is quite terrible for awhile -- too terrible for me to find this book entirely satisfying. I do appreciate that Stuart created a different sort of relationship here, one with an unexpected light side that counter-balances the dark aspects, but I felt I needed more from it. Miranda’s sensible approach robs the book of some of its potential angst, and Lucien is not just abstractly bad but has seriously done Miranda wrong. He needed more redeeming.
As usual, there's a sweet secondary romance -- here starring a hero who, judging by his talents at thievery and secretly slipping rings on women’s fingers, must be an ancestor of Patrick Blackheart from Catspaw.
This was a rare -- probably the only -- Stuart book that had me more interested in the heroine than the hero. I was expecting Miranda (daughter of the spoiled hero from Reckless and granddaughter of the decadent hero from Ruthless) to be a willful rich girl type, but although certainly headstrong, she is also very sensible. She really held her own against Lucien -- “the Scorpion.” Oooooo! -- using a form of psychological warfare that was comic in a way reminding me of old Catherine Coulter books. Come to think of it, the relationship between them reminds me of my favorite Coulter book, The Wyndham Legacy.
Lucien is, of course, another Stuart bad boy. And he really is quite terrible for awhile -- too terrible for me to find this book entirely satisfying. I do appreciate that Stuart created a different sort of relationship here, one with an unexpected light side that counter-balances the dark aspects, but I felt I needed more from it. Miranda’s sensible approach robs the book of some of its potential angst, and Lucien is not just abstractly bad but has seriously done Miranda wrong. He needed more redeeming.
As usual, there's a sweet secondary romance -- here starring a hero who, judging by his talents at thievery and secretly slipping rings on women’s fingers, must be an ancestor of Patrick Blackheart from Catspaw.
November 17, 2019
"You can get an erection less than an hour after I've tried to kill you?" she said in disbelief.
"Just how perverse are you?"
"Let me show you."
I love a couple that fights and wages war by out witting each other.
Miranda Rohan treats all her interactions with Lucien as if its a chess match. He's kidnapped her and intends to marry her in a revenge plot. But he has no idea what he's in for.
December 21, 2018
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
Breathless is a book I was really nervous and excited for, its the third book in the "House of Rohan" series by Anne Stuart. I was introduced to this series last year and I have just fallen in love with the slightly more erotic and gothic like feel to these books and these alpha reformed rakish heroes that this author writes. These books ARENT going to be for everyone. They are deep and packed with suspense and intricate sub plots and they are a bit edgier so if you looking for something fluffy...go the other way hehe but if you are always on the lookout for something with a bit more depth in a regency historical....grab up a Anne Stuart. These books are also narrated by a very talented narrator.
Breathless is book three in this fabulous series and the heroine of this book is the sister of the Rohan clan. She is much loved by her family, and this family is very close knit and support each other no matter what happens or what foolish decisions they make. Our heroine, Miranda, is seduced and then forced up to Gretna Green, but before he can make any marriage happen, she is no longer a virgin thanks to his forceful actions but she manages to escape but doesn't tell her family the real truth. But now she is disgraced in the eyes of society and is considered an outcast. She lives on her own, with her own money and independence. She decides that she wants to be daring so she ventures to a party by the Heavenly Hosts and there she meets up with Lucien who is also known as the "Scorpion". We also have a side to side love story with her friend Jane who meets up with a infamous jewel thief. Jane is engaged to a man that is boring and dull but respectable but she yearns for adventure and passion and has a stolen kiss from a thief who puts on a diamon ring on her finger that she is unable to get off her finger.
Our hero Lucien, has a plan for revenge against losing his sister and he blames the Rohan family and he wants his revenge to be sweet. So he plans on seducing Miranda and having her become his wife and to send her to his estate in the north where she will be away fromo anything or anyone she loves including her family. But Lucien doesn't realize that Miranda will be a fitting mate for him. Matching him for wills and wits and will also soften the ice around his heart. But will his plan for revenge be worth losing what he has gained with Miranda?
What a fabulous and well written story and even though it does have its flaws, I simply adored seeing the book evolve the way that it does in this one. What we have in this book is a story that won't be for everyone to enjoy. Its a bit darker than you normally find in historical romance and most especially with a regency theme. It does have a more sensual quality to it and these books do display more darker heroes than your normally find even for a rake. But I actually find these books entertaining and refreshing from the norm of the regency romance that is so common now. This story is one of revenge but we also have a sweet side story that I dearly loved....Jane's story. I was definitely rooting for her and her jewel thief because boy they won my heart from the first chapter. I couldn't wait to see how they would end up together and I actually was just as invested in their story as I was Lucien/Miranda's story and they are told side by side because of the event timeline and it really works. I really have admired the way that Anne Stuart writes her books like this, and it works for me. Of course, I will warn you, if you listen to this book, it does take a few chapters before you are fully into it, but you will become sucked into this book and the bantering and sexy times that are put in.
The other downside to this book is the ending, I was admit the ending was so disappointing in a way. I kinda felt like it was way too abrupt and wanted more with the ending especially with how it climaxes in the end for Lucien and Miranda. So I definitely expected more. However, despite the ending that wasn't my favorite, the story was well worth the listen. I had a fun time listening, this book had me laughing and it gave me a few tears too, but it also proved to be a provacative read that leaves you hungering for more from this author!! A TASTY DELIGHT!!
Breathless is a book I was really nervous and excited for, its the third book in the "House of Rohan" series by Anne Stuart. I was introduced to this series last year and I have just fallen in love with the slightly more erotic and gothic like feel to these books and these alpha reformed rakish heroes that this author writes. These books ARENT going to be for everyone. They are deep and packed with suspense and intricate sub plots and they are a bit edgier so if you looking for something fluffy...go the other way hehe but if you are always on the lookout for something with a bit more depth in a regency historical....grab up a Anne Stuart. These books are also narrated by a very talented narrator.
Breathless is book three in this fabulous series and the heroine of this book is the sister of the Rohan clan. She is much loved by her family, and this family is very close knit and support each other no matter what happens or what foolish decisions they make. Our heroine, Miranda, is seduced and then forced up to Gretna Green, but before he can make any marriage happen, she is no longer a virgin thanks to his forceful actions but she manages to escape but doesn't tell her family the real truth. But now she is disgraced in the eyes of society and is considered an outcast. She lives on her own, with her own money and independence. She decides that she wants to be daring so she ventures to a party by the Heavenly Hosts and there she meets up with Lucien who is also known as the "Scorpion". We also have a side to side love story with her friend Jane who meets up with a infamous jewel thief. Jane is engaged to a man that is boring and dull but respectable but she yearns for adventure and passion and has a stolen kiss from a thief who puts on a diamon ring on her finger that she is unable to get off her finger.
Our hero Lucien, has a plan for revenge against losing his sister and he blames the Rohan family and he wants his revenge to be sweet. So he plans on seducing Miranda and having her become his wife and to send her to his estate in the north where she will be away fromo anything or anyone she loves including her family. But Lucien doesn't realize that Miranda will be a fitting mate for him. Matching him for wills and wits and will also soften the ice around his heart. But will his plan for revenge be worth losing what he has gained with Miranda?
This man was truly like a scorpion, a poisonous sting when one least expected it.
What a fabulous and well written story and even though it does have its flaws, I simply adored seeing the book evolve the way that it does in this one. What we have in this book is a story that won't be for everyone to enjoy. Its a bit darker than you normally find in historical romance and most especially with a regency theme. It does have a more sensual quality to it and these books do display more darker heroes than your normally find even for a rake. But I actually find these books entertaining and refreshing from the norm of the regency romance that is so common now. This story is one of revenge but we also have a sweet side story that I dearly loved....Jane's story. I was definitely rooting for her and her jewel thief because boy they won my heart from the first chapter. I couldn't wait to see how they would end up together and I actually was just as invested in their story as I was Lucien/Miranda's story and they are told side by side because of the event timeline and it really works. I really have admired the way that Anne Stuart writes her books like this, and it works for me. Of course, I will warn you, if you listen to this book, it does take a few chapters before you are fully into it, but you will become sucked into this book and the bantering and sexy times that are put in.
"My hair covers my scarring."
"But we've agreed that no one notices your scarring once they're around you. You woo them like a big, fat hairy black spider, and no matter how much they struggle they're helpless."
"For some reason I can't quite imagine a spider wooing."
The other downside to this book is the ending, I was admit the ending was so disappointing in a way. I kinda felt like it was way too abrupt and wanted more with the ending especially with how it climaxes in the end for Lucien and Miranda. So I definitely expected more. However, despite the ending that wasn't my favorite, the story was well worth the listen. I had a fun time listening, this book had me laughing and it gave me a few tears too, but it also proved to be a provacative read that leaves you hungering for more from this author!! A TASTY DELIGHT!!
December 6, 2023
Lots of reasons to enjoy this one. A domestic piece but very satisfying in its insularity. The focus is on the hero and the heroine. The hero’s revenge doesn’t make much sense but we’re here for the meetcute. I liked how they met, although all through the machinations of the hero. I don’t know why but when heroines get dumped in a gloomy house meant to destroy her mentally but she decides to hire new workers and redecorate, it always is a cheery montage scene to read.
I really enjoyed this because the hero did not have any one-liners or monologues about how he is a baddie. The heroine was also quite refreshing in her candidness, and spirit to play tit for tat. When she realizes she is being used in a revenge and that what he wants is her fear/pain, she decides how to manipulate that. He wants what she does not want so she will act like she wants what she does not want. For example, he thinks he will marry her but perhaps keep her as a mistress. Both scenarios would be a suiting revenge: to have her under his legal control away from her family or to have her as ruined once again. She decides to act as though she’d prefer the marriage. He sees through it and says, marriage it is.
This was quite fun and I didn’t mind that we had to have a Couple B plotline.
I also did find this one genuinely shocking how the hero has ordered the heroine’s rape by one of her suitors. The novel tries to downplay this through dubious consent: the heroine decides not to fight but after the second night, she bashes him with a water ewer and runs off. The heroine has no trauma, is not worse for the wear.
It’s also so odd how the novel downplays this with the hero’s POV being relieved she was not a virgin and in fact it was personally arousing for him to know that he will be introducing someone like her who has had sex but did not enjoy it to erotic pleasure.
It’s such an odd stance because this attitude is repeated a few times and I feel like it’s meant to be read like it’s a good thing of the hero. A good thing in that the hero isn’t afraid to go down lol.
Yet his whole responsibility for her abduction and rape is very much side-swept. The heroine beats him in the head with a shovel and that’s that.
The only thing the hero feels morose for is the orgy wedding (but he doesn’t even go through with that 🙄). At least he waits until the last possible second before he chickens out, so the reader experiences some drama.
The hero is directly responsible for another man raping the heroine. Like, I am honestly surprised this happened. Tonally, so interesting because it’s not taken seriously or tragically. It’s actually quite nervy and not maudlin at all, very out of character for Anne Stuart who has always read very serious and emo… although some say she reads camp. Anyways, quite an interesting blend.
It’s not too steamy but I loved the scene when he finds out his rooms have been painted pink and he storms off to her room to release some pent-up energy 😏😏😏
I really enjoyed this because the hero did not have any one-liners or monologues about how he is a baddie. The heroine was also quite refreshing in her candidness, and spirit to play tit for tat. When she realizes she is being used in a revenge and that what he wants is her fear/pain, she decides how to manipulate that. He wants what she does not want so she will act like she wants what she does not want. For example, he thinks he will marry her but perhaps keep her as a mistress. Both scenarios would be a suiting revenge: to have her under his legal control away from her family or to have her as ruined once again. She decides to act as though she’d prefer the marriage. He sees through it and says, marriage it is.
This was quite fun and I didn’t mind that we had to have a Couple B plotline.
I also did find this one genuinely shocking how the hero has ordered the heroine’s rape by one of her suitors. The novel tries to downplay this through dubious consent: the heroine decides not to fight but after the second night, she bashes him with a water ewer and runs off. The heroine has no trauma, is not worse for the wear.
It’s also so odd how the novel downplays this with the hero’s POV being relieved she was not a virgin and in fact it was personally arousing for him to know that he will be introducing someone like her who has had sex but did not enjoy it to erotic pleasure.
It’s such an odd stance because this attitude is repeated a few times and I feel like it’s meant to be read like it’s a good thing of the hero. A good thing in that the hero isn’t afraid to go down lol.
Yet his whole responsibility for her abduction and rape is very much side-swept. The heroine beats him in the head with a shovel and that’s that.
The only thing the hero feels morose for is the orgy wedding (but he doesn’t even go through with that 🙄). At least he waits until the last possible second before he chickens out, so the reader experiences some drama.
The hero is directly responsible for another man raping the heroine. Like, I am honestly surprised this happened. Tonally, so interesting because it’s not taken seriously or tragically. It’s actually quite nervy and not maudlin at all, very out of character for Anne Stuart who has always read very serious and emo… although some say she reads camp. Anyways, quite an interesting blend.
It’s not too steamy but I loved the scene when he finds out his rooms have been painted pink and he storms off to her room to release some pent-up energy 😏😏😏
May 30, 2018
'O brave new world, that hath such people in it.'
Ok, wow. This book was much darker than the first two. We have here a true villain. One I had a very hard time forgiving. In fact, I don't think I ever did, really. You can forgive someone only so much for a cruelty they endured, however at some point they have to take responsibility for their own behavior. And let me tell you, Lucien was a wicked man. The only thing that saved him was the endurance and forgiving nature of the heroine. How she was able to love him after all he put her through, I have no clue.
One thing I can say for certain is that I had a blast reading this one. I love a good battle between lovers.. and this series has been such fun to read. The high-spirited characters, the verbal sparring is just fantastic. Another little gem in this story was Jacob Donnelly, the Irish jewel thief. He seduces Miranda's prim and proper best friend when she catches him robbing the hosts of a ball. In fact, I found Jake and Jane's story just as much fun as the main characters.
Ok. Well you get the gist. I'm moving on to book 4.
November 17, 2021
Ms. Stuart and anti-heroes are synonymous so you can expect the same thing here. If you like The Villain Duology, most probably you like this one too. It has the same trope - hero (or anti-hero) wants revenge on the brother by using the innocent sister. This book is tamer, though. I do think the reason for wanting revenge is stronger in The Villain Duology. Lucien just seemed a bit unhinged. This was an entertaining read.
May 6, 2013
After reading and loving Reckless I was happy to find this installment. However I found the plot and the lead character so extreme that I just didn't enjoy it that much.
Lucien was too dark to even find him remotely attractive. Usually if the lead is physically unattractive then he has a more developed and loving nature, and vice versa. Lucien however was physically scarred, and morally corrupted. I just couldn't get over the fact that he paid someone to kidnap Miranda and rape her, and then she fell in love with him and just forgave him...
I thought that the majority of the novel was just really repetative. Miranda pretending to be cheerful and loving probably should have been funny but all the "My lovers" and "My darlings" just annoyed me. The fact that Lucien resolutely attempted to ruin Miranda and her family right though until the last few chapters - where he attempted to let some more random men rape her - was just ridiculous. There was absolutely no attempt to develop him as a character at all, until basically the last page. There is a difference between a man not realising that he'd fallen in love and a man who is just utterly deluded...
Overall I did read it all, but had this been the first one I had read in the series then I probably would have stopped.
Lucien was too dark to even find him remotely attractive. Usually if the lead is physically unattractive then he has a more developed and loving nature, and vice versa. Lucien however was physically scarred, and morally corrupted. I just couldn't get over the fact that he paid someone to kidnap Miranda and rape her, and then she fell in love with him and just forgave him...
I thought that the majority of the novel was just really repetative. Miranda pretending to be cheerful and loving probably should have been funny but all the "My lovers" and "My darlings" just annoyed me. The fact that Lucien resolutely attempted to ruin Miranda and her family right though until the last few chapters - where he attempted to let some more random men rape her - was just ridiculous. There was absolutely no attempt to develop him as a character at all, until basically the last page. There is a difference between a man not realising that he'd fallen in love and a man who is just utterly deluded...
Overall I did read it all, but had this been the first one I had read in the series then I probably would have stopped.
August 24, 2015
I don't like these sort of stories because I just can't forgive certain things. The length that Lucien went to get his revenge crossed w moral and ethical line that Miranda should have been very afraid of him. I didn't care for this one.
September 29, 2010
Breathless, book 3 of the House of Rohan trilogy, just may be the darkest novel I've ever read. There were times while reading this book that I got chills (and they definitely weren't the good ones). This book is not for the faint at heart. Anne Stuart's heroes are dark...but Lucien is borderline "evil". He is somewhat "reformed" by the end, but he is still a long way from "good" when you turn the last page.
I have pledged my undying loyalty to this author. She is, simply put, a genius. Anne Stuart is an auto-buy for me, and until her contemporary suspense novel Silver Falls, was never disappointed with any of her work. This book IMHO is much better than the dismal Silver Falls, but is probably my least favorite of the House of Rohan trilogy. I still give it 4 stars.
This novel contains one of my favorite heroines to date. She has courage, tenacity, and an overall beautiful outlook on life. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she makes the most out of her circumstances and lives life to it's fullest. I loved her.
Which brings me to my next point. I loved Miranda, and hated Lucien for what he puts her through. Lucien is not a nice man and does harm to Miranda, both mental and physical. I appreciate the challenge that Anne Stuart takes on with these "bad boys", but Lucien might have proved to be too much even for Ms. Stuart. He is mysterious, scarred (both emotionally and physically), and has an aura of evil that surrounds him. I was hoping that I would witness a miracle and see a complete transformation. It never really happened. I almost think that this man was "too far gone" for redemption which is really saying something with an Anne Stuart hero.
The secondary romance was a welcome relief from the heaviness of Miranda and Lucien.
I plan on re-reading this one. Maybe on a second re-read I will gleam more of an understanding of who Lucien really is and find a way to like him more. As it stands, I fear for Miranda...even after their supposed Happily Ever After.
I have pledged my undying loyalty to this author. She is, simply put, a genius. Anne Stuart is an auto-buy for me, and until her contemporary suspense novel Silver Falls, was never disappointed with any of her work. This book IMHO is much better than the dismal Silver Falls, but is probably my least favorite of the House of Rohan trilogy. I still give it 4 stars.
This novel contains one of my favorite heroines to date. She has courage, tenacity, and an overall beautiful outlook on life. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she makes the most out of her circumstances and lives life to it's fullest. I loved her.
Which brings me to my next point. I loved Miranda, and hated Lucien for what he puts her through. Lucien is not a nice man and does harm to Miranda, both mental and physical. I appreciate the challenge that Anne Stuart takes on with these "bad boys", but Lucien might have proved to be too much even for Ms. Stuart. He is mysterious, scarred (both emotionally and physically), and has an aura of evil that surrounds him. I was hoping that I would witness a miracle and see a complete transformation. It never really happened. I almost think that this man was "too far gone" for redemption which is really saying something with an Anne Stuart hero.
The secondary romance was a welcome relief from the heaviness of Miranda and Lucien.
I plan on re-reading this one. Maybe on a second re-read I will gleam more of an understanding of who Lucien really is and find a way to like him more. As it stands, I fear for Miranda...even after their supposed Happily Ever After.
December 28, 2010
It is painful to have to give a series that you have enjoyed up until now such a low grade. But because I didn't get enough of an ending I ultimately couldn't believe in Lucien's redemption. What he had done to Miranda was beyond the pale. In the end Miranda turned out to be a better woman than I would have been.
Miranda is a woman that has been ruined and is now cut off from the ton. She is ok with that. She has her little house and a family that loves her. But when she catches the notice of Lucien, aka the Scorpion, she realizes that she is missing something else in her life...friendship.
Lucien has ulterior motives for bringing himself into Miranda's orbit. Revenge is a dish best served cold and I must say Lucien is one cold dude. Can Miranda's love thaw him out before he commits the ultimate sin?
Again if you have read the series you will want to read this book as you get some background on Adrian's family, but this book ends abruptly and left me completely dissatisfied.
Miranda is a woman that has been ruined and is now cut off from the ton. She is ok with that. She has her little house and a family that loves her. But when she catches the notice of Lucien, aka the Scorpion, she realizes that she is missing something else in her life...friendship.
Lucien has ulterior motives for bringing himself into Miranda's orbit. Revenge is a dish best served cold and I must say Lucien is one cold dude. Can Miranda's love thaw him out before he commits the ultimate sin?
Again if you have read the series you will want to read this book as you get some background on Adrian's family, but this book ends abruptly and left me completely dissatisfied.
May 31, 2021
(5/31/21) This book doesn’t just touch the third rail, much like a subway, the third rail is what drives it forward. From Miranda’s rape to Lucien’s Caribbean plantation holder origin, Anne Stuart sees all the pitfalls an navigates around them. Miranda isn’t traumatized by her rapist, Lucien left the Caribbean as a child and won his fortune gambling... tiny, precise tucks and snips take this gothic, old school cloth and style it anew. Still, your mileage may vary.
(8/22/10) Favorite Line: "You can get an erection less than an hour after I've tried to kill you?" she said in disbelief. "Just how perverse are you?" "Let me show you."
After having such an enthusiastic to the first of the Rohan novels, "Ruthless", I had resigned myself to the rest of the series not being able to meet my expectations. When "Reckless" was an enjoyable, but not spectacular, read, I was convinced my initial prediction would be correct. And then came "Breathless." With so many of the elements I adored in "Ruthless," yet in an of itself utterly unique, "Breathless" just may unseat it's predecessor as my favorite historical romance. Once again, Stuart takes familiar themes and takes them to new and interesting places. Miranda Rohan is strong and clever, outsmarting villains where she can (and refusing to be devastated when she can't). My reaction to Lucien de Malheur was as mixed as Miranda's own, and I found myself caught between wanting him to get his comeuppance and wanting him to get his happily ever after. I enjoyed how Stuart kept me entertained and guessing the whole book through.
One warning to potential readers, however. "Breathless" includes mention of a rape, a subject which, justly so, illicits varied and strong reactions amongst readers. For this reason alone I know "Breathless" may not be for everyone. For those readers I recommend picking up "Ruthless", where Stuart creates plucky heroines and nefarious heros and a less controversial story line.
(8/22/10) Favorite Line: "You can get an erection less than an hour after I've tried to kill you?" she said in disbelief. "Just how perverse are you?" "Let me show you."
After having such an enthusiastic to the first of the Rohan novels, "Ruthless", I had resigned myself to the rest of the series not being able to meet my expectations. When "Reckless" was an enjoyable, but not spectacular, read, I was convinced my initial prediction would be correct. And then came "Breathless." With so many of the elements I adored in "Ruthless," yet in an of itself utterly unique, "Breathless" just may unseat it's predecessor as my favorite historical romance. Once again, Stuart takes familiar themes and takes them to new and interesting places. Miranda Rohan is strong and clever, outsmarting villains where she can (and refusing to be devastated when she can't). My reaction to Lucien de Malheur was as mixed as Miranda's own, and I found myself caught between wanting him to get his comeuppance and wanting him to get his happily ever after. I enjoyed how Stuart kept me entertained and guessing the whole book through.
One warning to potential readers, however. "Breathless" includes mention of a rape, a subject which, justly so, illicits varied and strong reactions amongst readers. For this reason alone I know "Breathless" may not be for everyone. For those readers I recommend picking up "Ruthless", where Stuart creates plucky heroines and nefarious heros and a less controversial story line.
January 4, 2018
After all he did to this poor woman, he didn't even say I'm sorry.
And let me tell you, what Lucien put Miranda through in this book was A LOT, like Lothaire levels of villainy but without the epic groveling at the end. That's what I was looking for the most and it didn't happen!
Lucien's sister killed herself after a failed engagement to Miranda's brother. Looking for revenge, Lucien engineers Miranda's fall from grace (which included kidnapping and rape). But Miranda is made of sterner stuff and she saves herself. Any other woman would have been more traumatized by the ordeal but she makes the best of her new life, enjoying her independence as a fallen woman.
But Lucien is not happy that his evil plans didn't work and decides to take matters into his own hands. He befriends her and when she least expects her, closes the trap. The poor woman has no choice but to accept his "proposal" and again, Miranda is whisked away by a man looking to marry her against her will. But amazing woman that she is, she refuses to let him cower her and behaves like she's happy with every nasty thing he does. I confess I chuckled several times when he didn't know what to make of her.
And that was the best part of this book - besides the hot sex of course - how Miranda just took the bull by the horns and totally held her own against such a horrible man.
So yes, I sort of enjoyed it but the groveling that I was so looking forward didn't materialize, thus the low rating.
And let me tell you, what Lucien put Miranda through in this book was A LOT, like Lothaire levels of villainy but without the epic groveling at the end. That's what I was looking for the most and it didn't happen!
Lucien's sister killed herself after a failed engagement to Miranda's brother. Looking for revenge, Lucien engineers Miranda's fall from grace (which included kidnapping and rape). But Miranda is made of sterner stuff and she saves herself. Any other woman would have been more traumatized by the ordeal but she makes the best of her new life, enjoying her independence as a fallen woman.
But Lucien is not happy that his evil plans didn't work and decides to take matters into his own hands. He befriends her and when she least expects her, closes the trap. The poor woman has no choice but to accept his "proposal" and again, Miranda is whisked away by a man looking to marry her against her will. But amazing woman that she is, she refuses to let him cower her and behaves like she's happy with every nasty thing he does. I confess I chuckled several times when he didn't know what to make of her.
And that was the best part of this book - besides the hot sex of course - how Miranda just took the bull by the horns and totally held her own against such a horrible man.
So yes, I sort of enjoyed it but the groveling that I was so looking forward didn't materialize, thus the low rating.
September 14, 2010
I'm not sure if it was because the Rohan in this book was a daughter, Miranda, and not a son (and therefore not quite as dreadful), or if it was perhaps the revenge theme, but I was not quite as enamored of BREATHLESS as I was of RUTHLESS and RECKLESS. There was also the squick factor that the hero engineered the heroine's ravishment by another man as part of his revenge plan--years before they even met, but still. And he didn't really ever show remorse about it--in fact more than once he reveled in the fact that she was no longer a virgin and therefore would not be such a drag to deflower. Don't get me wrong. I love me some jerky Anne Stuart heroines, but alas, Lucien was just a shade too jerky for my taste. Even so, BREATHLESS had a delicious Highborn Lady/Lowborn Gent secondary romance that was my favorite of this Rohan trilogy. And I loved Miranda's battles with the surly housekeeper at Lucien's Lake District estate. And when it comes down to it, I did enjoy the book. And Lucien, though a jerk for far too long, did redeem himself in the end. So, all in all, it was worth the read.
November 8, 2010
Not a keeper for me and that's too bad because it could have been. I thought Miranda was strong and clever and she had a delicious sense of humour. As for the hero, enough with the scars from childhood and angst up the wazoo. I'm just tired of it: I don't find it fresh and I most certainly don't find it believable i.e., that did not make him a sympathetic character to me.
Opening the book with a planned rape ... an abduction that lasted for four days ... how was that going to factor into an HEA? Great, so she moved on. Great, he ultimately apologized (but only after he was caught dead to rights). I just found that so jarring. If there had been another method of revenge on Miranda, maybe this wouldn't have stunk out like the skunk at the picnic. Which it did for me. All these reviews about the mature and sensible way Miranda went ahead with her life after the rape ... just bollocks to that. It didn't make it a plot device that had an appeal for me and that's a shame because I could have liked the Miranda that mocked Lucien for his Byronesque antics.
Opening the book with a planned rape ... an abduction that lasted for four days ... how was that going to factor into an HEA? Great, so she moved on. Great, he ultimately apologized (but only after he was caught dead to rights). I just found that so jarring. If there had been another method of revenge on Miranda, maybe this wouldn't have stunk out like the skunk at the picnic. Which it did for me. All these reviews about the mature and sensible way Miranda went ahead with her life after the rape ... just bollocks to that. It didn't make it a plot device that had an appeal for me and that's a shame because I could have liked the Miranda that mocked Lucien for his Byronesque antics.
October 10, 2022
This was without a doubt my favorite of the series so far! The beginning is a bit dark, but the author unwinds the story in an addictive way afterwards. This book made me laugh a lot, and the ending was fun!
Miranda is the granddaughter of the MCs of "Ruthless" and the daughter of the MCs of "Reckless". At the beginning of the book, she is kidnapped, which declares her downfall. It's been a long time since I liked a FMC so much. She's amazing!
Lucian, Earl of Rochdale, is the villain who covets the suffering of the Rohans. He has his own traumas that explain his behavior. Okay, these traumas are not well developed, but the unfolding of the story makes us accept him as a "hero" nonetheless.
It's a good thing that the sexual sect doesn't have much relevance in this book; I didn't want to read AGAIN about heroes who love orgies 😂
The secondary romance was also good. It's between a friend of the hero and the daughter of the SCs of "Reckless", Jane, who's Miranda's best friend, just like their mothers!
Miranda is the granddaughter of the MCs of "Ruthless" and the daughter of the MCs of "Reckless". At the beginning of the book, she is kidnapped, which declares her downfall. It's been a long time since I liked a FMC so much. She's amazing!
Lucian, Earl of Rochdale, is the villain who covets the suffering of the Rohans. He has his own traumas that explain his behavior. Okay, these traumas are not well developed, but the unfolding of the story makes us accept him as a "hero" nonetheless.
It's a good thing that the sexual sect doesn't have much relevance in this book; I didn't want to read AGAIN about heroes who love orgies 😂
The secondary romance was also good. It's between a friend of the hero and the daughter of the SCs of "Reckless", Jane, who's Miranda's best friend, just like their mothers!
July 25, 2022
This falls firmly into the category of a guilty pleasure. The H is a cartoon villain. The turning point was OTT. However, the battle of wills and wits between the two was fun to read.
The secondary romance was a snore. Three and a half stars.
I can't exactly consider this safe, but there was no cheating.
The secondary romance was a snore. Three and a half stars.
I can't exactly consider this safe, but there was no cheating.
June 29, 2021
Happiness is an illusion.4 stars
Though there were moments, when he'd been with Miranda Rohan, that he thought he might have caught a glimpse of it.
Another fantastic Anne Stuart book and wonderful addition to the Rohan series (Books 1-4 have all been 4+ star reads for me). Note: as long as you can deal with truly, truly villainous heroes. And I'm talking for real, this isn't one of those "Oh, he's a rake/rogue and oh so bad, but not really, just another run of the mill bad boy"—Anne Stuart heroes are the epitome of anti-heroes. And yet, we fall in love with them anyway. Wow are we twisted, but we'll leave that to another day.
Stuart has written some pretty bad heroes, but Lucien ranks up there with the very, very worst. Her heroes often tear the heroines feelings to shreds because they are immature as fuck and can't admit to grownup feelings like love, but Lucien is on a whole other level.
The scandal that got Miranda kicked out of society is when she was essentially kidnapped by a guy who tried to force her into eloping with him and marrying him. Even though she's resistant, he tries to ensure her compliancy by raping her four nights in a row—upon the fourth night, she bonks him on the head and escapes. One of my biggest annoyances is that it is repeatedly stated that it wasn't rape, because she didn't say no and since it was going to happen anyway, she resigned herself to it and figured oh well, let's see if it's at least enjoyable. This drove me NUTS. He raped her. Period. I think the reason that Stuart didn't want to ever chalk it up that way though, is because: our beloved hero, Lucien, is the one who paid for the whole thing to happen!!!!! So yes, our hero paid for the heroine to be raped. Granted, he didn't know it would go down like that, but still, he's not getting off that easy.
The fucker even sabotages her carriage so that he can engineer their first meeting—she could have died!!!! And yes, the fucker I speak of is none other than our hero, Lucien! I know, I know, it's sick, what did I say?? We're all crazy, it's true. ::sigh:: Lucien does redeem himself and of course we know from the first that he's falling for her, but let me tell you, it's a good thing that romances are 3rd person alternating POV books, because otherwise there is no way a single Anne Stuart hero would ever make it past me.
He'd greatly underestimated her. She drew him in ways he didn't want to think about. She infuriated him, made him laugh, filled him with lust.I adored Miranda! What a terrific heroine—she quickly made it onto my favorite heroines list. She's spunky, independent, vulnerable, loyal, brave, smart, and kind. She is put in shitty situation upon shitty situation, and always meets it head on and tries to make the best of it, rallying her spirits and not letting circumstances defeat her. I wanted to slap Lucien upside the head so, SO many times, because he was so lucky to get Miranda and he kept on being willfully blind to it. One of the most satisfying scenes was when .
And she weakened him.
This was the greatest danger.
This is a revenge-driven plot and I have to say, it was pretty weak on that front. Lucien is going to all this trouble because his sister, who was affianced to Miranda's oldest brother, Benedick (hero of Book #4), died by suicide after the engagement was called off. The sister was mentally unbalanced though, threatening Miranda and Benedick's parents and killing herself publicly in a horrific fashion. The revenge plot is often driven by this brother/sister vs. brother/sister match-up, which makes sense when the heroine's brother actually did something bad and treated the hero's sister in a shitty fashion (Colin from Elisa Braden's series comes to mind), but that doesn't really apply in this situation. And Lucien is SO out for blood, does SUCH horrible things for revenge—when he also wasn't even that close to his (half-)sister, who was taken away from him and his stepmom at a relatively young age—that it doesn't really add up.
This book also had the loveliest secondary romance!! I wish Jacob and Jane had had their own book, or at least their own novella. Theirs was a pairing I adore: shy wallflower meets charming outlaw, who falls for her HARD.
Hysterical scene:
She heard his bellow from a distance, and she smiled to herself. He must have discovered his rooms. She’d been waiting for this moment all day, been loath to leave the house for fear she’d miss it. Every spare inch of his bedroom, dressing room and adjoining sitting room had been painted the loveliest shade of powder pink. She hadn’t had enough time to find a matching shade of fabric for the curtains, but the white cotton lace had a nice, cheery touch, as did the coverlet and pillows. She’d even managed to paint several old chairs to go with the overall effect.
If he were a seventeen-year-old girl he would love it.
November 2, 2011
I was ambivalent about reading this book due to the whole rape hullabaloo. Well, wow, it IS definitely rape-y. My goodness. Very old school bodice ripper again and again. And while there were most of the instances fell into the forced seduction category, there were other(s) that were definitely rape. I say that because in the book they claim it's not and because I saw a few reviews claiming that as well. Well, it is, dammit, and here's why:
But anyways, on to the book! Well, I LOVED Ruthless. Reckless was also good, if a bit, hmm... the hero was missing his teeth. Breathless veered back in the other direction with an over-the-top villain. Kind of makes me wonder if Breathless wasn't a response to a lackluster Reckless, but oh well. What I did very much like was that he was so over the top and, while others feared that about him, the heroine found it comical (which it was). The H was also able to laugh at himself, albeit in the cold, sardonic way of an Anne Stuart hero. It was nice, intelligent self-awareness. Their situation was questionable for so many reasons. He could have found revenge in a better way, and she didn't act like someone who'd been raped ('cause she was! she was!) But the banter was SUBLIME. I could forgive the awkward setup just to get them to that house and have them go at each other. It was enjoyable in the best way.
As usual for Anne Stuart, the secondary romance was strong and delightful. I waffled between a 4 and 5 star on this, but I think you have to put this up against the high drama of bodice rippers and, in that case, it's great. And somehow, oddly, I totally bought the HEA. The H is a total pussycat once he got over the whole I'm-an-evil-villain-out-for-revenge bit.
But anyways, on to the book! Well, I LOVED Ruthless. Reckless was also good, if a bit, hmm... the hero was missing his teeth. Breathless veered back in the other direction with an over-the-top villain. Kind of makes me wonder if Breathless wasn't a response to a lackluster Reckless, but oh well. What I did very much like was that he was so over the top and, while others feared that about him, the heroine found it comical (which it was). The H was also able to laugh at himself, albeit in the cold, sardonic way of an Anne Stuart hero. It was nice, intelligent self-awareness. Their situation was questionable for so many reasons. He could have found revenge in a better way, and she didn't act like someone who'd been raped ('cause she was! she was!) But the banter was SUBLIME. I could forgive the awkward setup just to get them to that house and have them go at each other. It was enjoyable in the best way.
As usual for Anne Stuart, the secondary romance was strong and delightful. I waffled between a 4 and 5 star on this, but I think you have to put this up against the high drama of bodice rippers and, in that case, it's great. And somehow, oddly, I totally bought the HEA. The H is a total pussycat once he got over the whole I'm-an-evil-villain-out-for-revenge bit.
May 7, 2014
I must be desensitized to cruel heroes. I've avoided Stuart's books for so long because according to readers the heroes are infamously cold, harsh, horrible people. Perhaps I started with the wrong one, because I wasn't too horrified by Lucien, however, I suspect that has something to do with Miranda. She is a fantastic heroine and just wouldn't let him break her down. I LOL'd when she was telling him he reminded her of a 'brooding, romantical Lord Byron' - which horrified him. He prided himself on being terrifying and she had his number. She was funny.
I would have loved this versus just liking it, but I felt like it was uneven. The best parts were rushed. There was so much that could have been done with the climax and aftermath of the "coup de grace" of Lucien's revenge plot. So much angst, so much character development and relationship building just... lost. I still cannot believe the final shoe didn't drop until 15 minutes before the recording ended. Personally, I could have done with less of the secondary romance (although it was sweet) and more time dedicated to the rest.
I would have loved this versus just liking it, but I felt like it was uneven. The best parts were rushed. There was so much that could have been done with the climax and aftermath of the "coup de grace" of Lucien's revenge plot. So much angst, so much character development and relationship building just... lost. I still cannot believe the final shoe didn't drop until 15 minutes before the recording ended. Personally, I could have done with less of the secondary romance (although it was sweet) and more time dedicated to the rest.
October 14, 2018
I may be able to ignore some ill treatment of the heroine but I cannot endure a hero who pays a man to ruin a woman, abducts her, harasses her, takes her to an orgy to be shared by others and never once show an ounce of repentance. What's worse is that he says repeatedly so many times that he's glad that the heroine is ruined as virgins are a bit tedious. Bastard. I hated him.
As a matter of fact I also can't tolerate heroines who fall head over heels for the hero even after knowing all these things. Silly females who think all they need to hear is he loves her to forgive every fucking thing. God she was stupid.
One star for Jane and Jacob. At least their story was sweet. They should have been the main protagonists of the book.
Frankly this book is everything wrong in our thinking. How can you make a man so vile, disgusting and selfish, the hero of a tale? There were absolutely no redeeming qualities and that just pissed me off. The man never payed penance or even felt fucking guilty. He happily got all he wanted throughout the book and it was so disgusting. After enjoying the first two books I seriously didn't expect this.
As a matter of fact I also can't tolerate heroines who fall head over heels for the hero even after knowing all these things. Silly females who think all they need to hear is he loves her to forgive every fucking thing. God she was stupid.
One star for Jane and Jacob. At least their story was sweet. They should have been the main protagonists of the book.
Frankly this book is everything wrong in our thinking. How can you make a man so vile, disgusting and selfish, the hero of a tale? There were absolutely no redeeming qualities and that just pissed me off. The man never payed penance or even felt fucking guilty. He happily got all he wanted throughout the book and it was so disgusting. After enjoying the first two books I seriously didn't expect this.
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